The 10 Most Scariest Things About Birth Defect Attorney

What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing that an expecting parents wants to hear: their child may be born with a defect. These problems are caused by things that happen during the fetal stage and could affect your child's physical or mental health.

Prenatal testing and newborn screening can be used by a doctor to determine the presence of certain birth defects that can occur during pregnancy. Other birth defects could be discovered only after your child's birth or when symptoms appear.

What was the reason for your child's deformity?

The causes of numerous birth defects remains unclear. However, there are a few factors that can increase a woman's risk of having a baby with defects. One of them is taking certain medications or drugs before getting pregnant, having a family history of birth defect lawsuit defects, or having medical conditions such as rheumatic illness. Women with an history of these conditions are advised to consult an expert on genetic counseling about their options prior getting pregnant.

Whether a child's birth defect causes serious issues or not is dependent on the body part that is affected and how much of the body part is affected. The more severe a birth defect, the more severe the issues.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during the fetal development. You can lower the risk of developing a birth defect by speaking with a genetic counselor, Birth Defect Lawyers learning about the health background of your family and meeting with the geneticist.

Structural defects are birth problems that affect the way the body looks or functions. They can range from visible such as cleft lips and cleft palate to the invisible, like metabolic disorders or chromosome disorders. Inherited genetic conditions are one kind of structural birth defect, while environmental factors such as an absence of folic acids can lead to neural tube defects that can result in the spinal cord and brain not developing properly.

Gather More Evidence than You Think You Can.

There are many medical procedures pregnant women undergo to determine a potential birth defect. Amniocentesis can be one of them, in which a healthcare professional takes small amounts of fluid from the fetus to conduct analysis. This test can reveal chromosomal changes and other health conditions such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can also examine the fetus's blood amniotic fluid, fetal blood and the umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are essential to diagnosing the root of a birth defect. They also help determine the severity of birth defect and its effect on a child's life.

Certain birth defects may not be discovered until after the birth of a child or, in a few instances, even as an adult. These conditions are not detectable prior to their onset and are sometimes only detected through diagnostic equipment. In these instances the medical expert witness must be knowledgeable with the techniques and the education required to be able identify the defects. A medical malpractice lawyer with years of experience will be able to determine the best expert for your case.

Find a Medical Malpractice Attorney

A child born with a severe defect or a serious birth injury could completely alter the life of families. These injuries can lead to lifelong physical and emotional challenges and often require an entire lifetime of medical attention.

Medical science can explain about 30% of birth defect cases but the rest are still unsolved. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances can cause birth defects, like those that are found in prescription and over-the-counter medicines that mothers are prescribed and the harmful chemicals that the heart of some communities and homes, as well as contaminated groundwater and air.

Doctors have a duty to assess an expectant mother's current medications, and advise her of any potential dangers to the fetus. If they fail to fulfill this obligation, they could be held liable for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors also have a responsibility to examine the safety of any procedure or device they recommend for pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines surgical tools, and any other equipment. If a doctor negligently uses the equipment or fails properly calibrate the equipment it could have grave consequences for the baby. This is considered to be malpractice. It is crucial to speak with a medical malpractice lawyer immediately when this happens. In certain states, you have only one year to file a complaint for medical malpractice, so it's best to begin the process as soon as possible.

Take the First Step

Birth defects are the leading reason for infant deaths. They affect one in 33 babies each year. These issues can be life-threatening, and can result in permanent physical, cognitive and emotional problems. In some instances, researchers have identified the cause to be a mother's exposure to prescription and over-the-counter medicines, toxins that are found in the environment as well as maternal infections, complications of pregnancy and birth or a family medical history (like genetic diseases such as sickle cell disease, PKU). However, in approximately 70% of all birth defect cases the causes are not clear.

Some Birth defect lawyers (utahsyardsale.com) defects are easily noticeable and can be detected when a baby is born or in the first year of life. Others, like heart defects or intellectual and developmental disabilities aren't as easy to identify and require tests that are specific to the condition.

Researchers are trying determine what causes birth defects and how they can be avoided. Women who drink, smoke or consume illegal substances while pregnant are at a higher risk of having a child born with certain defects. Women with a history of family members with inherited genetic disorders should seek out a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They should also use the March of Dimes family health record form to gather information about medical conditions that can be found in their families and share it with their doctor or a genetic counselor.